Edythe
by MelindaHP
Summary: This is somewhat (not really) a crossover of "Twilight" and "Life and Death," but only Edythe is transferred into the Twilight world. I really like her character in L&D - she was much more flirtatious and funny and "fun" compared to Edward, who was moody and reserved. I wanted to do my own interpretation of that in this story. It begins in Eclipse, before the battle.
1. Desperation

Chapter 1: Desperation

* * *

Edward was taking me to his house, again. He said it had something to do with last minute planning. He was too nervous to leave me alone or even with one of his family members, sticking to me like glue. I was surprised to find that several of the wolves were at the house, in human form. Sam, Seth, Paul, and Jacob all stood at various places in the Cullen's living room, looking thoroughly uncomfortable, aside from Seth. The Cullens greeted me cheerfully but I couldn't bring myself to respond accordingly.

"Oh come on, Bells," Emmett guffawed at my grimace, "You don't actually think we are in danger, right? This will be easy!" I ignored him, looking up at Esme as she approached and brushed the hair out of my face, her mother looking concerned.

"We will take care of you, sweetheart. You have nothing to worry about," she promised. I shook my head.

"That's not what I'm worried about," I replied.

"Of course not," Edward muttered, "always worrying about everyone else." He smiled half-heartedly at me but I could see the underlying fear for my safety, as well as the determination to fight. I pressed myself closer to him.

"Be that as it may, your safety is something we need to discuss," Carlisle interjected. "The topic came up at the training session but it has not been decided how Bella will be protected during the fight." The wolves and vampires' eyes alike were on him now, the wolves knowing this was the reason they had been convened here.

"I don't see an issue with leaving her with Seth," Jacob spoke up.

"Hey! You can't just assign me to babysitting! I want to fight!" Seth protested.

"You are not prepared for this fight, Seth, you are too young and inexperienced," Sam snapped back. Seth backed off, the Alpha's tone bearing down on him.

"Yes, however, Jasper has insisted that we need to have as many as possible on our side, so the numbers do matter. We would prefer Seth to fight, since you say you have Collin and Brady at the reservation. Edward is also needed at the fight, because his ability is the one of the most helpful, along with Alice. Edward should not stay with Bella regardless, because chances are if whoever this is is after Bella, they will almost definitely recognize Edward's scent as well." Everyone listened to Carlisle's logic and it looked like they all agreed to it.

"What do you propose then?" Sam asked seriously. Carlisle hesitated before responding.

"I have contacted a…friend, if you could say, to take Bella away during the fight," he said. Everyone was surprised.

"A vampire?" Esme asked to which Carlisle nodded. I looked up at Edward and he looked shocked at Carlisle's suggestion. He also looked frustrated and I had seen that often enough to know Carlisle was hiding something from him.

"You are proposing to leave Bella with a complete stranger, a vampire no less, which I assume is not on the same diet as you are?" Jacob looked enraged. Carlisle met his gaze calmly.

"Not a complete stranger. A friend of the family. Well, actually, she's more than that…" Carlisle trailed off as he turned to gaze at Edward, who had frozen in place. I looked up from his embrace at his face and was shocked by his expression. It was horrified, and angered.

"You _called_ _her_?" Edward spit through his teeth, combining a hiss and a growl at his father. Everyone was taken aback; no one had ever seen Edward speak this way to Carlisle before. His arms had tightened on me unconsciously, as if to protect me from something.

"Edward," I said as I gently pulled at his arms. He relaxed his grip on me instinctively, looking down at me with a daunted expression. He took a deep breath to calm himself before looking back at his father.

"No way," he said, voice and eyes hard. Carlisle shook his head, running his hand through his sleek hair.

"There really isn't a choice, Edward. She is already on her way. She will be here in a few minutes," he said. Edward hissed again.

"I'm not letting her anywhere near Bella," he snarled.

"I'm sorry but but can you please tell who the hell you are talking about?" Emmett complained, annoyed. I agreed with him, as did everyone else. Edward didn't answer so Carlisle did.

"Edythe," he said. Everyone looked as confused as I did, aside from Edward, who looked furious. Carlisle looked Edward directly in the eye as he elaborated.

"Edward's sister."

* * *

The Cullens were in disarray. None of them knew what to do. Esme, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie had turned to interrogate Carlisle and Edward, demanding answers. Edward would not utter a word, so Carlisle was left to explain.

"She and Edward were both in the hospital in Chicago. Both of them were dying. And I changed both of them. She left not long after her newborn years, right before I found Esme."

"You had a sister and you never told us?" Alice demanded of Edward. I looked at him, my own face showing hurt because I hadn't known about it either. He met my gaze and sighed, pressing a hand to my cheek.

"She is not a topic I want to discuss. You didn't need to know about her," he said to everyone.

"But how did I never see her in any of my visions? I should have, if she's been around all this time," Alice began rambling, more to herself than anyone in particular, but Edward stopped her.

"You never saw her because I have not made any decisions in reference to her since she left," he responded curtly. Alice stared at him in confusion, as did everyone else.

"You never wanted to see her? Never talked to her?" she asked. Edward shook his head with one firm movement. I stared at his face, my own thoroughly confused and shocked. He seemed so…angered by the thought of his sister. What had happened? I had never seen him have this much animosity against anyone except James and Jacob. This surely couldn't be just sibling rivalry.

But none of us were allowed to question any further, because all of the vampires and werewolves froze in place, their sensitive ears picking up on the car that had apparently just turned onto the long driveway. Edward pulled me with him upstairs, leaving me in his bedroom. Annoyed, I waited until I was sure he was back in the living room before I made my way back to the stairs. I heard the car stop in front of the porch and the slam of a car door.

Not a moment later, the doorbell rang. I could hear low voices speaking, but I could not hear the dialogue. I slowly descended the stairs, curiosity overcoming me. I was halfway down when I was able to take in the vampire before me. Her pale skin and exquisite beauty were not a surprise to me, but I was taken aback at the more distinct features. Her hair was the same hue as Edward's, metallic bronze flowing straight down to past her shoulder blades. Her facial features were so similar to his, but still distinct in their own right. She literally looked like a female version of Edward, except she was my height and slender.

Her eyes were the only distinction; very odd, they were a warm orange color, not the gold or black or red I was expecting. I was confused by the hue but not disturbed, more intrigued than anything else. She was standing by the door, Carlisle angled behind her and to her right, obviously the one who had let her in. Her eyes took in the rest of the Cullens appraising her and then the wolves in the background. I saw a slight wrinkle in her nose at the apparent werewolf scent in the room. She was facing Edward, gazing back at his hard expression evenly. Apparently, she had just formally greeted him.

"You're not wanted here," he snapped at her. I flinched at the venom in his voice and the rest of the Cullens stared at him in surprise, Esme in shock at his behavior. Carlisle looked disappointed while also admonishing.

"I know that. I came because I was asked to," Edythe replied impassively, no emotion in her face.

"And now you are being asked to leave. Before you are forced to," Edward snarled.

"Edward," I admonished. Though I didn't speak very loudly, they all heard me. Edward lifted his gaze to me, frustrated that I had not stayed upstairs. Edythe looked to me too, taking me in fully for the first time. I felt surprised and slightly embarrassed by Edward's behavior toward his sister and felt the urge to apologize to her for it, though she seemed to expect his hostility.

"So you're what this whole army is about?" she asked me, one delicate eyebrow raised. "Seems a little ridiculous, if you ask me." Her words themselves would normally insult me, but the way she said them, the way she held her body, shifting her weight to her right leg and crossing her arms lightly across her chest, gave off a different impression. I smiled a shy smile at her, shrugging my shoulders.

"I've found that most vampires are a little over the top in their reactions," I replied. She smiled at me, amused and friendly.

"I agree," she said with a side glance toward Edward, who was staring her down. She turned to Carlisle.

"So what is the plan?" she asked him.

"We have arranged with her father to have her for the weekend. You will take her and keep her from the fight as long as needed." he replied. Edythe nodded but there was strange glint in her eye.

"Well, the weekend is only a few days away. Let's see if we can get an extended vacation, huh, Bella?" she asked me. I was surprised at her forwardness, but the charisma exuding from her was catching. Along with my curiosity, I was interested in extending the weekend trip, if only Charlie would agree. I nodded, both excited for the prospect but nervous about Charlie's and Edward's reaction. I didn't have to wait for the latter's response.

"No," Edward growled fiercely, shooting up the stairs to stand in front of me. "Absolutely not."

"Edward, it will be okay. You can focus your energy on the fight. I know you don't like being away from Bella, but it will make this ordeal over quicker," Carlisle coaxed him, trying to get him to see reason. He shook his head.

"I don't want you anywhere near Bella," he said scathingly at Edythe, who didn't react.

"Edward, enough, you're being impolite," Esme chastised, fed up with his behavior. He didn't respond.

"Edward, you don't trust your own sister?" I asked quietly.

"Not in the least," he spit at the vampire in question. Edythe sighed, rolling her eyes dramatically and leaned against the back of the couch next to her, crossing her arms across her chest. She acted as though she were patiently waiting for a toddler to finish his tantrum.

"What is it with you?" I asked, circling around him. "Carlisle trusts her."

"Carlisle doesn't know her like I do," he hissed, his black eyes on his sister, who smirked.

"You don't know me as well as you think you do," she replied back, an almost taunting and joking edge in her tone. I heard another low growl building in Edward's chest but Carlisle stepped in.

"Enough, both of you. Edythe, you can try to get more days. Bella can go with you, and then we will go from there," he said firmly, trying to divert the conversation. Edythe shrugged, pushing off the couch and making toward the front door.

"Her father's name is Charlie," Carlisle informed her. She turned around and walked backward as she looked to him, smiling while twirling her car keys on one finger.

"I know," she said matter-of-factly. The she turned her eyes to me.

"Come on, Bella," she said. I followed almost immediately, half expecting Edward to pull me back. I glanced at him as I passed, but he was now glaring at Carlisle. Not doubt there would be an argument once we left. I followed her out on the front porch but skidded to a stop as I gaped at the car that was parked there. It was expensive, I could tell just by looking at it, a sleek, sporty design in glossy white. I saw a three-pronged triton on the front grill and tried to remember the name that went with the symbol.

"Maserati," Edythe said and I looked up at her as she leaned against the driver's door as she waited for me to get in. I complied, opening the door and sliding in carefully. I gaped at the inside, the black leather with red interior lighting and accents on the seats. There was a touchscreen in the middle and the dashboard was covered in dials and controls that I couldn't even begin to understand.

The others had followed me outside and they seemed as shocked as I was as they stared at the car. Jacob and Paul looked about ready to drool and Emmett let out a low whistle. I could see Edythe smirking outside the car. She hadn't moved when I had gotten in; apparently, she was expecting the attention and the question to follow.

"Is that the GranTurismo?" Jacob said the name with longing. Edythe nodded, watching the obvious envy on their faces.

"There's no way, it's still in production," Rosalie protested, but her eyes were huge.

"I have connections," Edythe said simply before sliding into the driver's seat and pressing the press-start button. The engine ignited, purring in the background. Edythe looked past me through the window, to the boys on the porch, her expression amused as they asked her to rev it. After a half-second of deliberation, she complied, pumping the gas pedal a few times before throwing the car into drive and departing. She laughed quietly at the wolf whistles from Jacob, Paul, and Emmett behind us.

I was watching her, analyzing her movements cautiously. No matter how comfortable and charismatic she was, she was still virtually a stranger. Carlisle trusted her, though, which counted for something.

"So what's the probability of getting a couple of extra days from your father?" she asked. I shrugged, not really knowing how he would react to Edythe. She nodded, seeming to understand that.

"Oh, and thank you for wanting to apologize for Edward's behavior, but don't feel bad. He does that to me all the time; I got used to it after a few decades," she added nonchalantly. My eyes widened in shock and she saw that, meeting my gaze evenly.

"You…" I couldn't find words. She nodded, answering my unspoken thought.

* * *

 **Hey guys, so it's been a long time but I've been ridiculously bust with school and sports. I have had a competition every weekend since the last time I posted and this the first weekend I've had free to even think about updating any of my stories. Hope you're not mad :)**

 **Here is Chapter 1 of my new story. I have no idea where exactly I'm going with this; I just wanted to try it out for fun and see where it leads and who is interested, especially since there aren't a lot of "Life and Death" stories yet.**

 **Speaking of which, I have been toying with the idea of doing the one story that everyone thinks about in terms of Edythe and Beau — what if the same kind of thing happened to them and Edythe had gotten pregnant? How would that change the game? It's still very rough so tell me if you guys would even be interested in something like that or you think that would be weird.**

 **On another note, YES I AM STILL GOING TO UPDATE AMETHYST. I was working on the next chapter earlier tonight but decided to take a break and write and post this instead :) It will hopefully be up soon!**

 **Also, if you want to see what the car looks like, you can look it up on Google :)**

 **Sorry this is so long and thank you if you have read up until this point :)**

 **Love you all and I hope you enjoyed this chapter and would like more! Your reviews would be very much appreciated and enjoyed! :)**

 **~Melinda :)**


	2. Departure

Chapter 2: Departure

* * *

"You…you can read my mind?" I stuttered, eyes wide. Edythe shrugged and nodded. The car was approaching the center of Forks now and she slowed to a more normal limit.

"I'm assuming my brother can't?" she asked. I nodded too.

"Hmm," she mused. "What?" I asked.

"Nothing, just interesting. Although, I bet you're very happy your mate can't read your mind." She said, smiling at my nod. "Maybe there is some omniscient force that understand fairness. I could only imagine if he could." Edythe laughed at the though as she pulled into Charlie's driveway. She blurred around to my side as I got out and I stared, glancing around to see if there were any witnesses. She smiled at the action but said nothing. We walked up to the porch and entered the house in silence.

"Bella?" Charlie called.

"Yeah, Dad, and I brought a friend," I said back. Edythe's expression was surprised at the word I'd used. She followed me into the living room where my father was watching a baseball game, takeout on the coffee table. Charlie stared and raised his eyebrows as he took her in. I didn't doubt he could see the resemblance. He stood immediately, reaching out to shake her hand.

"Hello, miss. I'm Chief Swan, Bella's father. And you are?" he mumbled, still working on processing the vampire before him. She shook back, throwing a warm and shy-looking smile at him. He looked gobsmacked and Edythe laughed at his expression.

"Edythe Hyland," she replied. He continued to stare as he dropped her hand.

"Let me guess: I look just like my brother," she giggled. Charlie rearranged his expression, smiling a crinkly-eyed smile back at her.

"Yes, you do. Almost identical," he replied. Edythe shrugged.

"Genetics can be a scary thing," she said, grinning. Charlie couldn't help but smile too, taken in by her personality.

"So, Edythe and Edward. You wouldn't happen to be.." Charlie started.

"Twins? Yes, we are. Unfortunately," she replied, her expression scrunching at the last part. Charlie laughed. I could he liked her already.

"Please, sit down, Edythe. I apologize for the mess; I wasn't expecting company," Charlie said, throwing a glance at me. I shrugged in response; there's no way I could have warned him.

"Oh please, it's no big deal, Chief Swan. This is your house and I did come over rather abruptly," she said, waving it off.

"Call me Charlie. I'm off the clock," Charlie said. Edythe nodded and smiled, but her eyes were on the screen now.

"I just checked the game before I left. How did the Mariners not score any more runs? The Sox pitcher is a dud," she asked. Charlie's eyes lit up and his eyebrows raised, shocked but pleased.

"I don't know either. He's been throwing them better than he usually does, of course when he plays us. Are you a baseball fan?" he asked. Edythe shrugged.

"I follow my Cubs and have picked up a few things," she said. Charlie inhaled through his teeth, as if to express his sympathy with the situation.

"Ooh, that's a hard team to support. Bias aside, they are the team I hope make it to the Series," Charlie said. Edythe grinned and nodded.

"And soon. It's been a hundred years and we're still waiting," she replied. They continued to chat absently about the game for a few minutes.

"So what brings you here, Edythe? I'm sure there's much more interesting things to do," Charlie inquired.

"Well, I was in the neighborhood traveling for school and Alice had called me, asking me if I wanted in on her little shopping trip with her and Bella. I hadn't ever met Bella before and I was interested to meet my brothers' girlfriend. I wondered who would be crazy enough to stay with him for an extended period of time." She laughed and Charlie laughed back.

"I'm only in town until Sunday, so Alice sent me to come to try and see if I could convince you to let us take your daughter a couple of days early," she finished, throwing another smile at him, her dimples flashing. Charlie seemed thrown by the expression, as most humans were by vampiric beauty, but he recovered well.

"I don't see why not. When would you be leaving?" he asked.

"Whenever we can hijack Bella and pack," Edythe replied; she was grinning and I had a strange feeling she knew she was going to get her way. It looked like Charlie was up for it.

"Well now, I don't see why you can't take her now. Get her away from Forks and boys for a while," Charlie laughed and Edythe joined in. I rolled my eyes but, internally, I was shocked. He had just agreed to allow his daughter to go on a week-long excursion with a person he barely met. I shook my head slightly in surprise; I had never expected him to give us a whole week. Edythe smiled warmly in thanks at him.

"Thank you so much. We will be making a stop or two along the way, not just shopping, that I think Bella will enjoy," she grinned at me and I grinned back despite my internal shock. I stood, making toward my room and Edythe followed. Charlie went back to his game.

"Smooth, do you think you could have sucked to him anymore?" I teased under my breath. Edythe snort delicately as we entered my room. I pulled my overnight bag out from under my bed.

"Use your purple suitcase," Edythe said absently, as she started pulling clothes from my drawers and putting them on my bed for me to pack. I appraised her, eyebrows raised but complied. She grinned teasingly at me.

"You're going to have get used to someone being able to read your mind," she said. I shook my head and she laughed as we went back to our tasks. She easily went at human speed and I was packed in about twenty minutes. She didn't ask to take the suitcase as I anticipated she would; Edward always would take the heaviest thing. She didn't even bring it up. I didn't have a problem carrying the suitcase and she seemed to know that. She didn't compensate for my humanity and she knew I didn't expect her to, which made me happy. We left not long after I had grabbed a snack.

"Am I allowed to eat in the car?" I asked. She nodded, seemingly amused.

"It's just a car," she shrugged. "A very expensive car," I added. She shrugged again.

"A car is ultimately just a car," she replied.

Charlie didn't want to see her go, almost more than not wanting to see me go. He hugged me and as we got into the car.

"Come back anytime, Edythe," he hedged. She nodded, smiling before getting in.

We drove back toward the Cullen mansion in mostly silence, but then a thought occurred to me.

"No, I wouldn't," she replied before I could ask. "It will just annoy him more." I nodded. The wolves were gone when we got there. We entered the house, immediately appraising the shattered pieces of glass and dry wall laying on the floor where the TV had been. I shook my head in resignation. Esme and Alice were there, cleaning up the mess.

"Where is he?" I asked them.

"He went on a run," Alice replied. Her eyes were guarded; obviously, she had seen we were leaving tonight and not this weekend. I felt my shoulders fall and my eyes pricked. I did not want to leave without saying goodbye. Edythe's and was there suddenly, rubbing the back of my arm.

"Call him," she said. "If he'll answer anyone, it will be you." I nodded, fighting the tears from spilling over as I pulled the newly acquired phone from my pocket and dialed his number. The phone rang a few times and I was expecting it to go to voicemail. But, as I pulled the phone from my ear, the tears beginning to pool, he picked up.

"Bella?" he asked.

"Edward," I replied, my voice on the edge of cracking.

"What is it?" Are you hurt?" he was immediately anxious.

"No, I'm fine. Can you please just come back to the house? Charlie gave us more time and we're leaving tonight. I don't want to leave without…" I trailed off.

"I'll be there in a few minutes." he promised and the line went dead. I nodded to myself as I put the phone back into my pocket. I wandered to the kitchen, looking for a tissue. Edythe followed me and a handful of tissues were offered to me. I mumbled out a thanks as I wiped my eyes with them. Edythe nodded, her smily gone and her face sympathetic.

"He makes everyone crazy," she said. I coughed out a weak laugh and she smiled gently. "But he means well. And he adores you." I nodded again. Her words had made me feel better. Edythe looked up toward the backyard.

"He's here. I'll be in the car," she said. The she was gone. In the next instant, arms were wrapped around me, his lips at the hollow against my neck.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you, love," he murmured, kissing my neck and up my ear to the corner of my eye, the tears still building there. I turned into him and he crushed me to his chest.

"It will only be for a few days. I don't know what she has planned yet but I'll text you as much as I can," I promised. He didn't respond, just pulling me tighter.

"Be safe," he murmured in my ear. "Any time you want to come home, just call me and I will come get you." I shook my head, placing my hand against his cheek.

"I will be fine. Just focus on getting the army taken care of," I pleaded. He nodded, leaning down and kissing my forehead once before crushing my lips to his. It was a sweet kiss, but still guarded. I knew he wasn't happy about my traveling companion but he refused to comment. He pulled back and took my hand, walking me to the door.

"Goodbye, everyone," I murmured, knowing they would all hear me. They looked up from what they were doing or appeared at the top of the stairs, returning the farewell. Alice hugged me on my way out. Edward kissed my hand once more at the edge of the porch stairs and kissed me once more on the lips before letting me go. I slid into the Maserati and rolled the window down, waving at everyone before Edyteh pulled away. I sighed as we began racing down the driveway, the window going back up automatically from a button on Edythe's door.

"They'll all be fine," she told me. I didn't answer; I could feel the tears pooling again and I took deep breaths to try to stop them. The goodbye was filled with fear, fear for the battle on my end, fear for me being with Edythe on the other, at least for Edward. Leaving them all, I was scared if I would ever see them again. No matter how much they told me that it would be easy, I couldn't fully believe it. But they had numbers and strength on their side, as well as Jasper's military background and Alice's and Edward's talents. I just hoped it would be enough.

"It will be," Edythe murmured. She turned on the radio and a low, calming piano solo began playing in the background. Despite my fears, the exhaustion overtook me and I drifted to sleep to melody and the purring of the car under me.

* * *

 **Hey everyone! Hope you enjoyed! I have an idea on what they are going to be doing on their 'vacation' but it is a little weird and not the kind go thing I usually do so I'm just warning you :)**

 **I made a little pun in regard to baseball and the Cubs. Remember though, that this is supposed to be set in 2006, not 2016. Given that, I will be breaking that because in subsequent chapters I will be implementing a bit of technology that did not exist as it does now (smartphones, etc.).**

 **Also, a guest asked me to write a Edythe and Beau story without Edythe getting pregnant. I understand why you would want me to do that, but I feel like I wouldn't add anything to a story like that. If you are looking for a FanFiction like that, there is one on this site entitled "Love and Birth," which stems off the original book and answers all the questions everyone has since the first one ended. I didn't write it but I really liked it and I encourage everyone to go read it! :)**

 **Review are greatly appreciated! Love you all!**

 **~Melinda :)**


	3. Destination

Chapter 3: Destination

* * *

When I woke up, I was groggy and discombobulated. I sat up and stretched my stiff muscles from sleeping slumped over in the car for an extended period of time. I looked around, but I didn't recognize anything.

"Good morning," Edythe said with a grin. She was relaxed, one hand on the bottom of the wheel, holding her phone with the other as she drove. A quick glance at the speedometer showed we were going at the triple digit speed.

"How long was I out?" I asked, stretching again.

"Only a few hours. But you were asleep for most of the flight," she replied nonchalantly. I stared.

"We flew?" I asked. She nodded as she flipped her phone shut, smirking slightly.

"Where are we?" I asked, looking around me more, trying to find anything that could tell me. I could see a large city approaching us to the right, the left taken up by a large body of water. I couldn't tell if it was the ocean or not and I glanced at all the highway signs, trying to recognize a city name. It didn't take me long, and Edythe smiled.

"The lake is pretty this time of year," she mused as she glanced out over the water of Lake Michigan, merging off the main highway, following the signs for downtown Chicago. I stared wide-eyed as the buildings flew past us as we entered the heart of the city. We drove for another twenty minutes, weaving through the packed, bustling streets with ease. Edythe had slowed down to a normal speed as we entered the city limits, and she turned and guided her way through the streets as if she knew their geography by heart, which she must. This is where she and Edward were born, where they had lived their human lives. I watched her face, and could see the peace on her face as she drove through her hometown.

Before long, we turned down a quiet street, filled with old, Victorian style houses, packed together on the tiny block. Half way down, she turned, sliding easily into the driveway of one of the houses. It was made of rustic, red-gray stone, with black molding around the windows that matched the wrought iron fencing around the small front yard. It was shaped just as the others, looking square in the front but reaching back and butting up against the property behind it. There was a circular jut-out, though; combined with the singular third floor window and the skinny, steep chimney, it resembled a decompressed castle.

"Welcome to Masen Manor," Edythe said as I stared. She pulled the Maserati underneath an overhang from the house, effectively covering the car in shadow. She got out, and I followed, my eyes never leaving the house as she unpacked my suitcase and handed it to me. She ignored my ogling, going to the front door that lay on the side of the house underneath the overhang above us. There was a front porch, adorned with a double arch that match the architecture on the the third floor. She unlocked the door and stepped in, holding the door open for me. I stepped inside, taking in the room.

We stepped into the front parlor, three windows adorned with white curtains pulled back with gold cords. The flooring was a rich light maple hue, with darker red-brown molding lining the room and the mirror reflecting back the room to us. The molding accentuated the white walls, gold light fixtures fixed to the entryway that led to the rest of the house. Though the house was ancient, all the furniture inside was modern and very comfortable looking. After I didn't move, Edythe continued through the room, tossing her wallet and keys deftly to the table across the room; they landed lightly on the surface with a sound. I followed her into the hall, staring at the ornate decorations embedded in the privacy screen separating the stairs from the foyer and library to our right. Another fireplace was nestled into the wood and glass cabinets were glazed over, but it was transparent enough to reveal the rows and rows of books placed neatly on the shelves. Two armchairs were angled perpendicular to another fireplace. I stepped through into the dining room to the left of the library, taking in the colossal dining table and white diamond chandelier.

"It's original," Edythe answered my thought. A green marble fireplace was at the right wall, displaying along the table to the large bay window, with off-white pulled curtains away with gold cords. The ceiling was decorated with wooden beams the same color as the molding. I stepped through the morning room beyond the dining room, a white marble fireplace the main decoration, and hesitantly opened the door to the kitchen across from the entry and; I took into the updated, professional kitchen with a large island and cooktop. I wandered around the first floor, taking in the details, the table settings stored away in the cabinets embedded in the walls, the ceramic glinting off the light from the chandelier. There were paintings and works of art adorning the otherwise bare walls, everything from Italian landscapes to portraits of animals.

There were also pictures, old and new, on the mantlepieces of the numerous fireplaces and on the end tables. I picked up one of the frames in the library. It depicted a family of three, and I recognized it. Edward had showed it to me last summer, when I had asked him about his human family. It showed his father and mother, Edward Sr. and Elizabeth, and him between them. At the time, I had thought of the photo outside of the history and more fascination of his human life; but now, my eyebrows pulled together before looking up at the person who was not in the picture. She smiled, but there was a small amount of sadness in it.

"I was away from home at the time," she answered curtly, not willing to elaborate. I looked back to the picture before replacing it. I continued my search, this time taking in two pictures of infants that were placed at either side of the fireplace in the front room.

"Who is who?" I asked verbally.

"I'm on the left, Edward is on the right," she answered simply. I looked at the pictures of the twin babies, and I couldn't help my smile.

"You look identical," I said. Edythe let out a soft laugh in agreement. She led me upstairs, to a sitting room with the front windows looking out onto the street below us. A white, glossy piano stood in the jut out of the sitting room. The carpet the replaced the maple wood floors was soft and pure off-white with a tint of grey. There were two rooms off the sitting room, a master bedroom with a large king size bed with a canopy overhanging the gold bedding, a cursive 'M' engraved into the mahogany. An indoor bathroom was off the master, the claw-foot tub and antique style carrying in from the rest of the house. I moved to the next room, and stopped.

The room was bigger than the master, obviously intended for two people. The windows were curtained with gold fabric, similar in style to the rest of the house. The carpet was the same as in the sitting room, matching the white walls, which were filled with artwork. But there was only one bed, a full, with a large fireplace at on end of the room and an armchair facing it. Low bookshelves took up the room, along with an old, antique desk, completed with overhead light and fountain pen. Edythe came behind me, taking in the room.

"I haven't touched anything in here, other than changing the carpet. It was originally this horrible, disgusting magenta color," she said nonchalantly. We stood in the doorway for a moment as I took in Edward's—and probably at one time, Edythe's— room. After a while though, she reached from behind and grasped the door handle, pulling the door closed. She moved toward the master and leapt to the bed, moving back and crossing her legs underneath her. I joined her, sitting cross-legged beside her. She knew what I wanted to know, but she seemed hesitant to answer.

"What happened?" I murmured. She sighed, meeting my gaze.

"You do not want to know," she replied. My eyebrows scrunched together.

"Yes, I do," I insisted. She pursed her lips, then shook her head.

"It will make you see him in a different light. I know how you feel about him, and I am very happy he has found someone who can love and for him to love back, as he never did for me. And I do not want to damage your relationship, or the way you see him," she explained. I waited, and she exhaled again, partly in frustration and partly in amusement.

"Alright," she conceded. She cleared her throat unneccesairly before beginning.

" I was born eight minutes after my brother…"

* * *

 **Hey everyone! Sorry this took so long!**

 **I finally figured out how I want this to go! Hope you enjoyed! :)**

 **Btw, here is the link to what the Masen house looks like (I did my best to describe it but pictures are worth a thousand words):**

 **2011/09/21/the-masen-house/**

 **If you enjoy Edward POV fanfiction, check out his works; they're very good :)**

 **Next chapter will hopefully be up soon!**

 **~Melinda :)**


	4. Disclosure

Chapter 4: Disclosure

* * *

"I was born eight minutes after my brother. We were very close from the time we were babies. However, it began to change as we grew up. Our father was never around; though he supported us and, maybe to some extent cared for us, it was not expected for a man to be well-involved with his children, especially his daughter.

"Our parents groomed my brother and I as is necessary to live in the society where we lived. This part of Chicago, as you saw from the houses, was and still is very affluent. Edward was taught by our father, via outings with business partners, how to maintain a successful business. Edward would be brought along by Father to various business matters and other such things, while I stayed home with Mother, cleaning, cooking, and playing house. He was taught how to be a man, while I was taught to be a woman. My mother would always reiterate my future as a housewife and mother, shaping me to become 'suitable' by teaching me everything in homemaking and how to be a 'lady'. It didn't enthuse me; I didn't want to stay at home all day and play caretaker to my future husband and children. It wasn't that I minded the idea altogether—the idea of getting married and having children—but I did not want that to be the extent of my life. I wanted to travel, to go to school, as Edward would have done if the war had never started. But I would never have been allowed to; though women were technically able to go to college, I was worth much more as the wife of a rich man at home, marrying into money to please my parents.

"So every day, I was confined to the house, the kitchen to clean the dishes after each meal, to the living room to sewing little designs on pillows, to cook three meals a day for the family. It was very boring and mundane life and future. I would often wander away once the chores were completed to avoid other homemaking lessons like polishing silverware and folding napkins. I would often sneak to the stables as my mother would never wander there to look for me; there was a stablehand boy that we employed to care for our carriage horses and tend to our property. His name was William, and we often spent our days together. He was only three years older than I was, and I enjoyed his company.

"William sympathized with me, to an extent. He had been orphaned when he was only six, and wandered through the city on his own, finding odds jobs in exchange for meals. He was ten when the old caretaker of our property had taken him in, to teach him the tricks of the trade before he died. William took over for him at thirteen. William would often tease me about how a pretty little rich girl like myself could fret about my planned life of luxury with a husband and no worries outside of childrearing. I could see his point—to him, I had everything, because money was something he had never had—but, for me, money and beauty didn't mean much. I wanted to be allowed to live my life as I chose it, instead of my entire life being decided for me.

"The trouble began as I got in my teenage years; my mother and father had instructed me to stay away from William, that he was not a suitable husband for me and interacting with him would tarnish my reputation in town. It annoyed me; he had been the only person I could really talk to. Edward, though my twin brother, was not sync with me once we hit puberty. He was the perfect son, always obeying my father's and mother's wishes. Our mother adored him; the only thing he ever did to upset her was his desire to go to the war." Edythe's face was hard, her lips pressed into a thin line as she said this.

"I was not the perfect daughter; I was never quiet and reserved about my distaste for my life and future set out before me. When I was younger, I often begged my parents to let me attend school and travel the world once I was an adult. They refused, so I was left to my napkins, piano, and sewing kit. After a while, I gave up trying to plead with them. I was given the best in terms of 'schooling,' if you could call lessons in homemaking and etiquette 'school', because of the my family's wealth. We—Edward and I—were all set to begin our lives, and I hated it. I began to rebel; I stowed away to the stables in the dead of night and stayed with William. He and I would go off to the lake and wade through the banks and along the shore, just talking and enjoying each other's company. We became close, and soon we slept together, all behind my family's backs. We did not love each other as partners, but we found comfort in one other, grounded outsiders, removed from the pompous and superficial world we lived in day in and day out.

"Eventually, my parents caught us, in the worst way; they were livid, to say the least. Girls were expected to stay 'clean' and 'pure' before marriage, little virgins for the taking. So my 'impurity' angered them; all the work they put into me, to groom me to become the perfect wife, foiled. Immediately, they sent William away and punished me, not permitting me to leave my room during the day, confining me to the house twenty-four seven. This lasted only a couple of months of this before I grew mad; I ran away from home, to escape them, my parents' disappointed expressions and condescending attitudes, Edward's face, always expressionless…"

She trailed off. She was standing by the window now, the light gone from the sky as the night took over Chicago. She was staring through the glass at something, or at nothing at all, while I watched her from the bed. She shook her head slightly, sighing. I could see the sadness and regret in her expression. Her eyes were glassy with the emotion.

"Edward was the worst though. He had fallen in line with what was expected of him and he, like my parents, was disappointed in my actions. He had been conditioned successfully, seeing me as now more than a disobedient girl rather than his sister. He didn't understand; he couldn't, not after the years of being taught how to act and think. It wasn't his fault; our father was a hard man, and the society we lived in demanded such things from him as a young man, while also expected other things from me. The difference was that I questioned and resisted that society while he didn't. It's not surprising though; society was and still is geared toward men as the true rulers, above women in every way. As a young, white man in a upper class society, his wildest dreams and wishes were at his disposal once he turned eighteen. That wasn't his fault, and I do not blame him for not understanding; but I feel saddened that he does, that he never saw past the trivial beliefs of the world. He wasn't always like that. When we were toddlers, we were always together. We spent all our time in each others company, always in sync with each other, as if there was a telepathic bond between us. I believe that's part of the reason we have the talents that we do now. We understood each other better than anyone else understood us, even our mother.

"But he began to drift away as we grew up, separated due to the different familial and societal expectations on us. By the time the trouble with William came about, I didn't even recognize my own brother. He was too cold, too expressionless, too much like my father and the rest of the white-washed society I grew up in. It made me sick. When I stole away from home, I went in search of William. It was the first time I had been allowed to walk around without an escort, and even that small freedom was intoxicating. It took a couple of days of wandering the city to find William; those nights were the basis of my comfort here. Wandering around at night, exploring every nook and cranny of Chicago, which was large even for that time, it gave me a sense of peace and relaxation that I had never felt before. Often, when I am staying here, I will go out on a walk, wandering the streets until daylight…"

Edythe was gazing off again as she trailed off. I waited patiently, seeing she was too absorbed in the story to break her out of her reverie. After a moment, she shook it off and continued.

"I found William fairly easily, but not in the way I expected. He was in the hospital, one of the first to be infected with the influenza, though we did not know it was an epidemic at the time. He was very ill, and I stayed with him; he succumbed to the disease within hours. I was distraught, that the one person in the world that was in cohorts with me, that I shared secrets with, was gone. It was heartbreaking, and depressing. I came back and stayed in the stable that night, just wanting to be by myself.

"The next morning I returned home, expecting further punishment. But I found my family in a disarray. My father had been taken to the same hospital as where William died; he had apparently contracted the influenza while on one of his business trips. Mother was too worried about him and Edward to deal with me; Edward did acknowledge me upon my arrival, hugging me and saying he was glad to know I was safe. It was the first time he and I had any real type of connection for years. And I'm not ashamed to admit I was glad Father was ill; his absence brought a freedom with it that allowed me to see that my brother was still there, just masked by facade he had adopted to become who Father wanted him to be. That day was one that reminded of how it used to be, Edward and I just talking in our room while Mother fretted over the house.

"But it wasn't to last. It was only a few days later when all of us were admitted to the hospital, all falling ill to the disease. I am unsure whether I got the disease from my family or William, but regardless, it took us, and a majority of the town. As you know, Carlisle was the one to treat us. Edward was worse off, having spent most of his time with our father, who had already died before we arrived. Mother worked hard to nurse my brother but I could tell it was in vain. I knew we were all going to die in here, from this illness. I don't remember much about being in the hospital, mostly because I was too sick to be very aware of what was going on around me. But I do remember the night my mother died and we were changed.

"My mother had taken a turn for the worst, and she had only hours left. Edward was asleep, or unconscious from the flu, when Carlisle had come onto his shift. I was resting with my eyes closed besides my brother, listening to the exchange between Carlisle and my mother. I had no suspicions about Carlisle myself, but I suspected my mother noticed what I did not; though, again, I wasn't very aware during our time there. Mostly, I was trying to keep from not going unconscious where I knew I would never return, so I didn't hear most of the conversation."

Edythe stopped, her eyes looking at me through the reflection in the glass. I was so involved with the story I had to gather myself to come back to the present. She waited for a moment, at first I thought to gauge my mental feelings before continuing. But after another long moment, she still didn't speak. She was staring at the street below, her fingers playing on the windowsill, her eyes far away. I spoke up, encouraging her to go on. She seemed to come back to wherever her mind had wandered off to. She shook her head and blinked her eyes several times before she continued.

"The last thing I felt though was Carlisle's cold hands on me before it went black. I remember the pain, I remember the fear, but I had an underlying feeling underneath the pain, the feeling that there was a purpose behind the pain, though I had no idea what was going on. When we awoke, we were both very confused. After Carlisle had explained to us what we were and what had happened, it was a very unnerving thing to take in. Everything in the world had shifted. We had come into that hospital weak and on the brink of death and now, here we were, young and strong and full of immense power, living creatures of the stories we had been told as little kids, in the flesh. It was daunting, and the burn in our throats were enough to make us edgy and uncomfortable and, for lack of a better word, very thirsty; but to me, it was also rejuvenating. Carlisle had explained that we could never go back to our old life, that we could never truly rejoin the world we lived in. I was ecstatic. I could no longer being forced to stay home and play housewife for someone I didn't care for; I was not bound by the expectations of the human society anymore. I was free."

Edythe let the last sentence hang in the air for a moment, allowing me to absorb it.

"That mentality permitted me to take my life as a vampire in stride. No, I will not say it was easy or even tolerable. In fact, most of the time it was so confusing and frustrating and horrifying. But I knew, underneath all those struggles, I was gaining much more than I was losing. My parents were dead; my only friend, William, was dead. I had nothing to go back to; that life never offered me anything I wanted, and I was glad to be rid of it."

"Edward didn't feel the same. Not that he necessarily wished for his old life, but he wished for his human life. He wanted to be human again, just like the rest of them. He, like all of them, merely wished for things to go back to the way they were, to reverse time before the life-changing event occurred that landed them on this path. I would be lying if I say I have never wished to be human at all, but not in the same way as the others; I missed not being able to go into the sunlight, to be consumed by my thirst in a way my human hunger never had. But those were all small prices to pay for my new life, especially after my newborn years.

"Edward and I grew close again, joined by our joint struggle to overcome our thirst and adjust to vampire life. I believed I was better at it than him, but that is probably because he was constantly looking back, lamenting the struggles he wouldn't have had if he were human. I never looked back. We were at odds in that regard, a small fissure after the chasm I thought had closed after our transformations. But that rift got gradually bigger and bigger; he didn't understand why I was happy, why I was thankful to Carlisle from the beginning. One night in late 1919, we were on a hunting trip—our first alone since we had been changed—the rift cracked open, ripping wider than it had when we were human.

Edythe stopped, deliberately skipping over the details and going immediately to the end result.

"I left Carlisle and Edward, knowing I wasn't welcome by my brother anymore. I was confident enough in my control that I believed I could survive on my own. Carlisle asked me to keep him updated, both as my creator and as my father figure. I kept my word, and still do to this day. I learned about the others as they were brought into the family, interacting with Edward's new brothers and sisters and mother through words in a letter. I stayed away, as I knew Edward would want, and the decades past…"

"So, before last night or whenever it was, you haven't seen each other in that long?" I asked, shocked. Edythe shook her head.

"Once, in the early sixties, I had come across where they were staying. Carlisle would update on where they moved from and to, hoping in vain to have me come back. I refused every time, not wanting to encroach on my brother's life when he clearly didn't want me there. As the years went on, it was even less possible to try to return as a Cullen; I knew that Edward had kept my existence a secret to everyone, and Carlisle did not bring me up per his wishes. As the family grew larger, I knew it would just do more damage coming back into their lives. So I was better off alone. But I was passing through the small town where they were living and I couldn't help myself; I wanted to see them for myself. Carlisle had included a picture of the family not long after Alice and Jasper joined, to allow me the one small concession. But I wanted more, so I allowed myself to stray with range of the home, further enough away where none of them could hear or smell me, but close enough to hear their minds. I was able to see them through their minds, to see their interactions. I was comforted that my brother and father had found so many members to make their family, and I was happy that they were happy. I could sense their minds—Esme, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper—and saw that they were as Carlisle had described. And it helped a little to at least sort of meet the siblings and mother I may have had. But I didn't stay long. I hadn't seen them since, not until two nights ago."

Edythe stopped speaking as the story came to a close, turning toward me and leaning on the windowsill. My mind was buzzing with more questions and she smiled, both bemused and sad why what she could hear. She lifted her hand and lay on the ornately decorated molding.

"We kept the house in pristine condition; though, after we left Chicago, Edward cared little for it. Neither of us wanted to sell it, but I'm the one who put most of the time into little things like furnishing and decorating it. That's mostly due to the fact that I live here, while it's too small for all seven of them anyway. On the night I left, Edward told me I could take the house, since he had already taken what he wanted from our parents' collections and our human lives. So the lease is in my name, and I transfer it over every fifty to sixty years, keeping the name Masen. Everyone who lives around here know it's a house that's been int eh same family since it was built, and they know the last of the line comes and lives here from time to time. But I keep that as the extent of their knowledge, and it works. Bigger cities allow for more privacy, as not everyone feels the need to know everything about everyone. But I move often enough, every five-eight years.

"I tried to attend high school as they do, but it's boring and tedious, like anything else that's repeated incessantly. After doing it once, I went to university and have completed three medical degrees, one of them actually giving me my license to practice. For a while, I went to Africa, to the small villages there that had little to no healthcare and helped those who lived there. I went only at night and the people there beloved I was an night angel, healing them and curing illnesses within a few hours. They were not in touch with the rest of the world, so it was easier to let them think the way they did. But I was careful to monitor their mind to make sure that they believed they imagined me up or that a god sent me to them and I could never be discovered. But, before I allowed myself to practice medicine with humans without harming, I knew I had to master my self-control. And so, prior to going to Africa, I stayed in Europe, mostly Western Europe, and it is there that I started experimenting with the way I fed."

I froze as she said that. She knew I was wondering about her eyes, how they weren't gold or black like I was used to, but they weren't the scarlet hues of the vampires that hunted only humans. They resembled a rich ocher orange color. She smiled as she saw my curiosity and chose to answer my thought.

"I, like Edward, survived off animal blood for the majority of my beginning years as a vampire. But, after I had decided to help those who needed it, I decided to test myself. While in my medical classes, I was fascinated by the intricate working of the cardiovascular system; though I could hear and see blood pumping through the various veins throughout any person's body, it was amazing to learn about it from inside out. I also learned what I could from Carlisle about our bodies and our venom, and what it does and could do. A theory had been playing around in my head for a few years and, at that point, I decided to test my speculations. I found I was able to drink from a human, take only a small amount, and let them live, without changing them."

My eyes were wide as I contemplated this. Edward had always told me that if a vampire drinks from a human, the human either dies from the blood loss or is changed, should the vampire be able to stop himself from feeding. Edythe nodded at my musing.

"Yes, everyone else believes that to still be the case. But I found a way around that. It wasn't easy, especially in the beginning, because my control was so flawed. Looking back on it, how crazed I was to continue but still forcing myself to pull back and resist my thirst, I believe I was at least somewhat masochistic in those days. I learned with practice though, and now I can drink a pint from a human without him or her knowing it, and they go about their lives afterward with them none the wiser. I still keep up the practice, but I initially started to perfect my self-control as Carlisle had, just in a different way. In my mind, if I had enough control to stop myself mid-feeding, I had the control to care for humans no matter how much blood there was. And I was right. Now, I am nearly immune to the scent. It actually takes more effort to recognize the smell of human blood over animal blood."

"How is that possible?" I asked.

"Mind over matter. A mindreader would understand better than anyone who much the mind controls the body. If one is able to condition themselves effectively, such results can happen. And I was able to do just that: my mind—and, subsequently, my thirst—yields to the smell of human blood, because I have trained myself to know that animals are my true prey, while humans are not. Most of them will tell you that naturally it is the opposite; though animals smell edible, they have no problem controlling themselves around it because it isn't as good as human blood. I have conditioned my mind to reverse it; not that human blood isn't better than animal blood, but it's akin to a human who was originally omnivorous chasing over to a vegetarian; they know the taste and smell of meat and may even yearn for it, but they still stick to their diet."

"How often do you drink human blood then, if you don't need to condition yourself anymore?" I asked. Edythe smiled and shook her head.

"I will always need to condition myself; though I have learned to stifle my thirst and instincts very well in the presence of human blood, I still and will always have those instincts. I have found a reminder every four months or so, just one human, is adequate for me," she answered. I nodded, thoughtful. Edythe stepped to the bed, settling herself at the foot of the bed while I sat by the headboard.

"Now, it's nearly two in the morning. Edward will kill me if I let pull an all-nighter, especially since we are going out tomorrow," she said. I sighed but conceded, crawling under the covers.

"Are you going to stay?" I asked hesitantly once I was settled. She moved from her position to besides me, leaning against the headboard. She nodded.

"Yup. Part of my duty to protect you," she said, popping the 'p' and smirking as I made a face at the reminder that I was being babysat.

"Don't worry, tomorrow will be more fun," she promised. Curious but too tired to try to convince to tell her, I rolled over and quickly fell asleep in the satin sheets.

* * *

 **Hi guys! So this chapter took me really long to write because I wanted to get it as perfect as I could! Hope you enjoy and the next chapter will be up soon!**

 **~Melinda :)**


	5. Distraction

Chapter 5: Distraction

* * *

When I awoke, I could immediately smell the delicious scent wafting from downstairs. Pulling myself up from the soft sheets, I padded down to the first floor into the kitchen. Edythe was there, just transferring two pancakes and three eggs—sunny side up— to one of the china plates. I sat down at the breakfast bar as she pushed the plate toward me, pulling a fork and knife out of the drawer beside her with one hand while pulling a bottle of syrup from the adjacent refrigerator with the other. I couldn't help but stare at her movements and she smirked.

"Just because I hated the thought of being a homemaker doesn't mean I'm not good at it," she said with a grin. I smiled at her antics before starting to eat.

"So what's on the agenda for today?" I asked, glancing toward the sun streaming in through the window. Edythe came around to jump onto the counter besides me and I got a good look at what she was wearing. She wore a white collared polo shirt with green accents on the pocket seams and the logo on the sleeve, the zipper coming down a quarter of the way, just above her chest. Her pants were tan with the same green accents, with darker patches at the inside of her knees. A leather belt was looped through the belt loops of her pants, black and expensive looking. She wore long knee high socks of a dark grey hue with no shoes.

I recognized the style of outfit immediately, the breeches taking me back to when I was a kid. Edythe noticed my train of thought, and she was surprised.

"You used to ride?" she asked, her eyebrow raised. I shrugged.

"Not really. When I was like six or seven. It was a phase my mom went through but she didn't stick with it for long; it was too expensive and she wasn't very good at it. She let me do lessons for a while until we couldn't afford it anymore," I explained, remembering back to when my mom brought me to our local horse stable and a elderly woman holding a long leash—a lunge line, if I remembered the name right—as I sat on the back of an ancient little pony that barely moved along. I shook my head to clear the memory, and turned back to Edythe.

"I thought girls weren't allowed to ride back then," I said, my eyebrow raised. Edythe smiled, her expression mischievous as she swung her legs back and forth underneath her.

"We weren't, but William taught me how to ride. He let me borrow his breeches so I didn't have to sit there in my dresses. We also rode at night, so no one would know," she explained. I nodded.

"I wasn't expecting you to be able to ride, but since you've ridden, I'll have to get you on," she mused. My face froze and I shook my head.

"Edward wouldn't like that," I said, sighing sadly, longingly. Edythe snorted delicately.

"He doesn't have to. You'll be safe with me; he can't control your life. Besides, it's a good stress reliever, and you are stressed, girl," she countered. I couldn't help but laugh. Despite being born at the turn of the last century, she acted just like a modern teenager. After I finished my breakfast, she told me to go change while she cleaned up. She joined me after she was done, and we chatted in the bathroom as I showered and changed. She gave me a pair of black ankle boots with a small heel that I paired with a pair of leggings and a fitted T-shirt. The drive was short, pulling off the highway onto a long driveway with dark brown fencing on either side. As we continued down the gravel road, Edythe spoke.

"On your right," she murmured, pointing over me out the passenger window. I caught sight of two horses, one white and one brown grazing in the field fifty feet from the road. Edythe slowed to a stop in front of them and they lifted their heads, pricking their ears forward in interest. Edythe rolled down the window, letting out a low whistle. After a moment hesitation, the horses plodded forward to the fence and lifted their heads over, right up to the car window. I reached out tentatively and stroke the face of the brown one, a chestnut with a white blaze on his face. I smiled as he nickered then sniffed me for treats. I laughed lightly.

"I don't have anything," I told him. Edythe laughed too as the horse stretched his neck further into the car.

"Maybe not, but he knows I always do," she said lightly, opening up her center console and pulling out a peppermint wrapped in cellophane. The chestnut nickered again with the white horse next to him whinnying as the plastic rustled, obviously recognizing the noise. Edythe opened a couple of the mints and gave one to the chestnut and let me give one to the white one. They pulled their heads from the car and trotted away into their pasture, appeased. We continued the drive, finally coming on a large V-shaped barn surrounded by fields and a large outdoor ring. Edythe pulled into a space underneath the awning of the barn, grabbing a backpack from the trunk, and led the way to the barn.

We came into the center of the main aisle with stalls running on either side in both directions. The place was very clean, obviously very prestigious, with a chandelier hanging from the ceiling and a faint scent of clean grass and springtime air, rather than hay and manure. Edythe led to the left all the way to the end, throwing her bag lightly on the ground besides the second to last stall on the right. The horse in the stall whinnied at her in greeting. I stepped up shyly.

The horse's coat was so sleek and shiny he was pure white. He was shaped athletically but not lanky like some of the other horses I saw in passing their stalls. Edythe opened the stall and stepped inside, pulling a black leather halter over his head before leading him out of the stall. She stopped him just outside and pulled a tie that was hanging from the wall, securing it to his halter, one on each side, cross tying him in the aisle. She turned toward a small wood box affixed to the horse's stall, pulling out a brush and began grooming him. I stepped up to him and he pricked his ears at me, going immediately to my pockets. I reached out and laid my hand on his head, stroking between his eyes. He dropped his head as I petted him, obviously enjoying the feeling, so I continued. I turned my eyes to his stall, a brass plate attached to the door proudly marked "Silver Lining - 'Atlas'."

"Why Atlas?" I asked Edythe who was busy brushing down the horse's legs. She didn't look up as she answered.

"I always name all of my horses something that begins with 'A'. And he's strong but refined, just like the mythological Titan. It suits him," she shrugged as she scratched under his belly affectionately. The horse tossed his head and tried to turn to look at her, but he was still tied up so he couldn't twist his body correctly, making both of us laugh.

"Why do they have to be named something with an 'A'?"

Edythe looked up and smiled softly; she stood from her crouching position, ducking under Atlas' head to her grooming box. She pulled a small piece of paper out of it and handed to me as she switched brushes and began to brush his face gently. I took it and found it was actually a picture, a old—though well-preserved—black and white photograph of a young girl on a white horse. The horse looked almost identical to Atlas, maybe a little leaner and, even though it wasn't in color, I could see the tint of bronze hue in Edythe's hair. She looked about 14 in the picture, sitting on the horse's back in a long dress, the horse tipping his head back toward her with her hand on his face. I smiled before giving it back.

"His name was Audacity, but I called him Audit. We had him and his mother, Athena, as our carriage horses. Everyone knew them and our carriage because of the stark white of their coats. Mother and Father cared that they were taken care of, for no other reason than because it made our family look good. Since I was little, I would steal away to the stables to groom them and care for them. I was seven when Athena foaled Audit, and I remember playing with him when he was a foal. We became very close as he grew; he was an amazing horse. William taught me to ride him once we got a bit older," Edythe's expression was soft, far away as she recalled the memories.

"What happened to him?" I asked hesitantly, not sure I wanted to know. Edythe's expression hardened slightly before turning back to her work of grooming Atlas.

"After I was changed, we kept everything in our parents' name. We paid someone to come to the property to maintain it and care for the horses. They believed it was from the living kin of our family. We intended on dealing with the property once we matured enough to be around people. But after Edward and I had our falling out, I didn't know where to go. So I went to the stable. It had always been my safe haven when I was human, though I was cautious to tempt myself with the blood of the horses that I cared deeply about. They were scared of me, as expected, and I stayed in a corner of their stable. They became less wary of me over time. Atlas, being younger, came to me first. Once he realized it was me, though not a human me, he relaxed and nickered me as he always did. I oversaw their care from a distance and stayed with them at night.

"After a few years or so, I moved them with me to the place I settled too. By then, riding astride was becoming acceptable for women and I began riding Atlas. Athena no more than tolerated me, her instincts telling her better than Atlas. But I had a real bond with Atlas, and I chose to breed him before he died. Athena went first, around 1935; Atlas followed not long after, but not before he sired a foal with a local mare. I had seen her bloodlines and paid her owner board for the entirety of her pregnancy as well as a fee for letting me use her. He was indebted to me as he was struggling with the Depression and was willing enough. The foal was a filly, and I named her Allegra. And so it began. Audit is Atlas' great-great-great-grandsire." She finished her story at the same time she was finished grooming. She led me a little ways down the aisle to another stall. Inside was another grey horse, but smaller. He perked his ears at us when we stopped in front of him and tilted his head, sticking his nose through the little feed slot, tongue lapping. I giggled at his antics as I reached out to stroke his muzzle. The horse smacked his teeth at me, trying to nibble on my fingers and I jerked away, surprised. Almost simultaneously, Edythe smacked him on the nose, the strike gentle for a vampire, but strong enough to convey the message.

"Hey, no biting," she scolded, her eyes hard. The young horse whinnied at her, offended, shaking his head and twitching his muzzle. Edythe's expression was stern as she looked at the horse before turning to me.

"Sorry about that. He's still a baby," she apologized. At the same time, the horse stuck his head out of the opening in his stall, stretching his neck out to ward Edythe's back. I watched him, and I could tell Edythe was watching him too, listening behind her. Cautiously, his upper lip stretched beyond his teeth and he wiggled it back and forth across Edythe's elbow. Edythe herself couldn't help a smile, fighting a laugh. At her lack of response, the horse pushed further, lifting his head and laying it on Edythe's shoulder, bumping her shoulder with his muzzle, trying to get her attention. Though it would probably hurt with the force he was using on her hard skin, she moved with his movement, turning back and stepping to scratch under her jaw. The young gelding nickered in content, his eyes drooping shut.

"His name is Grand Master, but I call him Artie," Edythe said, continuing to stroke the white horse absently. I smiled at the name; stepping up to him. The horse perked his ears toward me at my approach. Tentatively, I held my hand out, palm up. He sniffed my hand for a moment before snorting and turning away. Edythe patted his neck gently, murmuring an affectionate "good boy" before turning to me.

"Now…" I looked up at her, preoccupied with Artie's searching of my pockets.

"Ready to ride?" she asked, a coy smile on her lips.

* * *

 **Hi everyone! Sorry it's been so long!**

 **A guest asked me when I would update this story and I realized I've been neglecting it for no reason, so here is the neck chapter!**

 **I know this may seem odd, but I promise it fits into the story! If you have any questions, feel free to review or DM me with your question!**

 **Let me know what you think of this chapter, and this story so far! I would really enjoy it! :)**

 **~Melinda :)**


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